Day 6 - Pray for Us

Saturday at the Congress. Breakfast with just Momma and Daddy (since Viv was at work) and off to classes!  The hotel we stayed in this time was much closer than the one I remember from years ago.  And it was a nice walk, too--not too rushed or crowded and only one street to cross.  

Momma's and my first class today was on culture as a window into the mystery of God--given by a teacher from Boston College (to whom Momma insisted I introduce myself).  Since Daddy had his talk (with Fr. Spitzer! Greatest university president EVER!) in the same building, we had lunch outside the meeting rooms there.  And we didn't have to fight for seats, so we were able to finish quickly and then head to the arena *dramatic music* into the den of booths!  At least, that's what one congress speaker christened them years ago.  Seemed to fit :)  While Momma and I were browsing, I snapped this picture of a wall of rosaries.  I think the colors turned out nicely. 

Second class of the day was on the World of Pope Leo XIII (who wrote Rerum Novarum--the first encyclical on the Church's social teaching).  It is so easy to forget, as the years and centuries pass, what the world was like at the time of such writings.  Even just 100 years ago (not to mention hundreds of years back to the letters of Paul, for instance), the world was quite a different place...

Final class of the day was on the Crucifixion according to John.  Talked about all the seemingly strong figures in the gospel and how they really don't measure up (without the fulfillment of the Cross).  The huge army that Judas brings to take Jesus is floored (literally) when He says His name: I AM.  Peter, even, doesn't understand that Jesus must suffer and die.  The Jewish leaders cannot kill Jesus without Pilate's authority.  Pilate says he wants to release Jesus but cannot seem to be able (actually) to do it.  All things pale and wither and are shown to be imperfect when compared to the power in the radical Love Christ showed us on the cross. We enjoyed it, but we didn't stay for the whole talk because we wanted to get off the 2nd floor before the rush (it's amazing how crowded stairs, escalators, and elevators get when classes are out!).  

Last night, I started reading the Lord of the Rings to Momma and Daddy (though I think Daddy was asleep during most of it).  So after classes today we came back to the hotel and I read a few more chapters.  So far, Momma likes it! She says Tolkien's style is very easy to understand but is still very engaging and the characters are well-developed and interesting.  I know T and I just finished reading the whole story a few weeks ago, but my folks haven't heard it before, and I really wanted to share it with them. I figured reading it aloud was a good (and nice) way to "inflict" it upon them :)  No, I won't finish it this weekend, but T and I are going to record the rest of the book on his voice recorder and email the files so they can finish listening to the story as the Blacks read it.  Should be fun.  Off to dinner then bed! Another busy day tomorrow.